Showing 1-96 of 512 items found in Arts & Culture

Since 2006, Cobra Lounge has been Chicago’s best kept secret for showcasing regional underground and emerging music talent. National touring bands choose to play Cobra Lounge for its dynamic sound, intimate feel and unpretentious attitude. Located next door to Union Park in Chicago, Cobra Lounge is an official host venue for many of Chicago’s premier summer and fall outdoor music festivals including Riot Fest & Carnival in September. The vibe here is pure Rock & Roll mixed with freshly prepared food, great hospitality and a live energy that is uniquely Cobra Lounge Chicago.

The first space in Chicago dedicated solely to the art of poetry, the Poetry Foundation building realizes Harriet Monroe’s dream, set out in her very first editorial, that Poetry magazine would help poets pursue their art, increase public interest in poetry, and raise poetry’s profile in our culture. It also is Poetry’s first permanent home in its 100-year history. Designed by the Chicago firm John Ronan Architects, the building helps the Foundation to carry out its mission: to discover and celebrate the best poetry and place it before the largest possible audience. The facility includes a 30,000-volume poetry library, an exhibition gallery, a performance space for the Foundation's extensive roster of public events and the Poetry Foundation's programming offices, including those of Poetry magazine.

The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC), at 360 North State Street in Chicago, is an Illinois non-profit corporation and manages two subsidiaries --Museum.TV and the National Radio Hall of Fame (NRHOF) and its website radiohof.org. The MBC’s mission is to collect, preserve and present historic and contemporary and television content as well as educate, inform and entertain the public through its archives, public programs, screening, exhibits, publications and online access to its resources.

With Windy City Playhouse is a new kind of theater. A theater where high art and high levels of entertainment combine – a space for friends to gather, colleagues to engage and strangers to meet, all in the name of art. Our primary creative endeavor will be live theater, but other contributing art forms will play a part. With the addition of visual art, auditory art, and the art of mixology, we will entertain and engage audiences in a new and holistic way.

Located just outside the city of Chicago, the Leaning Tower of Niles is a half-sized replica of the famous tower in Pisa. It is made of steel, concrete and precast stone and is 94 ft (28 m) tall with a 7.4 ft (2.2 m) tilt. Completed in 1934 by Robert Ilg.

From 1908 to 1940, Sears Roebuck and Company ordered, manufactured and sold homes to hundreds of thousands of Americans. Sears homes were popular in the railroad community of Aurora, which boasts 136 authenticated properties, making Aurora one of the largest concentrations of Sears homes in the country. Take the tour - stop by the literature center at 43 W. Galena Blvd. or download an entire list of Sears Homes from the City's web site.

Enjoy a self-guided driving tour of Aurora’s historic districts. Go back in time to Pre-Civil War era when Illinois' second largest city was being formed. Visit the Roundhouse, Stolp Island, Central Fire Station, Auto-Row, the house made of coal and much more. Online tour information available by clicking the link to the City of Aurora's Historic Preservation page of the City's web site.

The Richard H. Driehaus Museum immerses visitors in one of the grandest residential buildings of 19th-century Chicago, the Gilded Age home of banker Samuel Mayo Nickerson. Philanthropist Richard H. Driehaus founded the museum on April 1, 2003 with a vision to influence today’s built environment by preserving and promoting architecture and design of the past.

Leland Tower is a twenty-two story tall building located on Stolp Island in Aurora, Illinois. Leland Tower was at one point the tallest building in Illinois outside of Chicago. Stolp Island is recognized as a Historical District by the National Register of Historical Places. Leland Tower was at one time the tallest building in the world, and dominates the downtown of Aurora, dwarfing all the other buildings located there. The tower was built initially as a hotel. The Leland Hotel project was conceived in 1926 and was one of the most ambitious projects in the city's history. The project was announced by an organization known as the Aurora Building Corporation through Herbert P. Heiss of the First Illinois Company. Mr. Heiss had located and purchased the site for the proposed hotel. The building contract was awarded to the H.G. Chtistman Company, general contractors of South Bend, Indiana and Detroit, Michigan. Anker Sveere Graven and Arthur Guy Mayger were chosen to design the hotel which was planned to be one of the grandest buildings outside of Chicago.

The Aurora Elks Lodge No. 705 is a Mayan style building on Stolp Island in Aurora, Illinois. It is included in the Stolp Island Historic District. The building was built in 1926 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. (Re-development planning in process.)

Midwest SOARRING (Save Our Ancestors Remains & Resources Indigenous Network Group) Foundation was formed in November of 1996. They are a Native American non-profit organization who assists with repatriation, protection of sacred sites and educates the public about Native American culture, through Pow Wows, cultural programs and environmental issues. The new Cultural Center is made possible by a lease obtained through the City of Lockport.

Mr. Jackson's acclaimed works of art can be found throughout the state of Illinois. Check his website for details. One of a family of ten children growing up in the small city of Decatur, Illinois, Preston Jackson became a storyteller and an artist at an early age. In his artwork he intends to deliver information about who we are, where we came from, and where we are headed. His training is in the field of metal fabrication, both steel and foundry cast metals, as well as in painting. The materials used most often in his pieces are cast bronze, steel, and stainless steel. His work tends to be narrative in nature, with emphasis on relating the details and personalities of our past.

Located above "Hamburger Mary’s" Dining Room, Mary’s Attic plays host to a variety of weekly and special events including our famous MaryOke, theatre performances and musical acts. Mary’s Attic is also available for private events. From corporate outings to weddings, let Mary’s take care of all of your special event needs.

With engaging music and dance in a kid-friendly setting, the free admission Juicebox programs are geared toward the stroller set and enjoyable for the whole family. Children will experience a diverse range of artistic and educational presentations, with hosts regularly inviting youngsters to move, dance and interact with performers. Presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the Juicebox series runs on alternating Fridays at the Chicago Cultural Center and Saturdays at the Garfield Park Conservatory, with occasional special events at other venues. Except where noted, performances are 11-11:45am.

This much-lauded and beautiful auditorium hosts classical and popular musical events as well as popular lectures and recitals. It is located in Aurora University's Institute for Collaboration building.

The Legacy Walk is a dynamic outdoor LGBT history exhibit in the "Lakeview" neighborhood of Chicago. Presently, along the half mile of the North Halsted Street Corridor, between Belmont Avenue and Grace Street, ten (10) pairs of 25'-tall decorative "Rainbow Pylons" define the nexus of Chicago's LGBT community. Affixed to the pylons are a series of bronze memorial plaques commemorating the life and work of notable lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals whose achievements have helped shape the world

The Leon M. Lederman Science Education Center houses hands-on exhibits for ages 10+, technology and science labs, a store and the K-12 Teacher Resource Center. Science Adventures classes for all ages take place at the Lederman Science Center. The Center also has a unique collection of indoor and outdoor exhibits introducing students to the world of particle physics. Open to the public Monday–Friday 8:30 AM–4:30 PM and on Saturdays from 9:00 AM–3:00 PM. The Center can accommodate groups of five or fewer on a walk-in basis. Larger groups must book a visit. Call 630-840-8258 for more information. A guided tour for families is available the first Saturday of the month from 10:00 am to noon.

The BVIC is an African-American heritage tourism destination that serves as the main orientation center for those visiting Bronzeville. Here, visitors, residents, students, researchers and entrepreneurs can receive an orientation and information on Bronzeville's rich history and culture.

The Promontory is a stylish, two-story bar and restaurant that also houses live music throughout the week. Come for drinks and enjoy an extensive list of wine, cocktails and beer, or browse the menu for unique entrees, small plates, pastries, and more. The Chef de Cuisine and Sommelier team also hosts a tasting every Tuesday featuring a 5-course tasting menu complete with wine pairings.

The inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial, titled The State of the Art of Architecture, will take stock of the extraordinary ways in which architects, artists, designers, planners, activists, and policy makers from around the world are tackling the most pressing issues of today. By shining a light on realized architectural projects, projects in formation, spatial experiments made visible, and public gatherings, the Biennial seeks to generate thinking about architecture and its implications for our times. It explores how creativity and imagination can radically transform lived experience as we negotiate urban, suburban, and rural contexts, as well as other places that have not yet been anticipated. Through a constellation of exhibitions, full-scale installations, and programs of events, the Biennial invites the public to engage with and think about architecture in new and unexpected ways, and to take part in a global discussion about the future of the built environment. Photo credit: Steve Hall

St. James at Sag Bridge is the Oldest Church in Northern Illinois. Built by Irish immigrants who built the canal. Established in 1833, it is the sole country parish of the Archdiocese of Chicago serving a growing community of Catholics who come together to worship God through the celebration of the Eucharist and traditional devotional activities within truly unique and beautiful surroundings.

The Midwest Independent Film Festival is the nation's only film festival solely dedicated to the Midwest filmmaker, presenting audiences with regionally produced independent cinema every first Tuesday of the month at Landmark Century Centre Cinema in Chicago. This year-round film festival sits proudly at the center of the independent film scene in Chicago and the Midwest and is dedicated to celebrating and strengthening the Midwest filmmaking community

If These Walls Could Talk in Downtown Aurora not only provides 100% archival quality framing services their shop acts as an art gallery for visitors to enjoy, buy, and sell their art. A regular venue for Downtown Aurora's First Friday event.

Established in 1991, Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art (Intuit) is the only nonprofit organization in the United States that is dedicated solely to presenting self-taught and outsider art — with world class exhibitions; resources for scholars and students; a Permanent Collection with holdings of more than 1,100 works of art; the Henry Darger Room Collection; the Robert A. Roth Study Center, a non-circulating collection with a primary focus in the fields of outsider and contemporary self-taught art; and educational programming for people of all interest levels and backgrounds.

The memorial's steel, five point star represents the branches of military service. The angle of the star reminds us of those who perished in the line of duty. The memorial also includes commemorative headstones of the first seven Oak Forest residents who died in combat.

ince pinback buttons were patented in 1896, people have found many ways to express their life events through buttons. They created the Button Museum to show how people commemorated noteworthy times in their lives by creating and collecting these wearable mementos. The words, artwork, printing style, color, and size were the final result of a vision they wanted to communicate or be a part of.

A unique experience combining recreational features with an outstanding exhibition of large-scale contemporary sculpture in a beautifully landscaped, easily accessible setting. Stroll, rollerblade, or bicycle along the paved path and view art in nature.

Culture Stock is a social venture that operates as a hub for cultural activities and community programs while serving as a used book and media re-seller. Culture Stock, located in the heart of Downtown Aurora, offers up-and-coming musicians, poets and other artists a place to display their talents. Stop in for a taste of Aurora's culture, read a good book in a cozy corner, listen to a new performer or join a language circle. Kids have events at Culture Stock too. Check their Facebook page for a Downtown Aurora cultural experience update today!

Open Door Repertory Company is a professional non-equity theater organization that produces plays and provides theater education to serve audiences and theater artists of all ages and backgrounds throughout the area. Their purpose is to inspire, entertain, and provoke emotional and intellectual responses.

A unique theater space that is just as much a part of the artistic canvas as the hand-selected theatrical productions. Your experience begins with a warm greeting into a home-like environment which includes fresh-baked cookies. The performances will take you and your friends on an intimate journey to explore the human condition through the lens of relationships and love. Bring your favorite beverage and enjoy the show.

The Madison Street Theatre, founded in 1959 as the Village Players Performing Arts Center, a non-profit organization, promotes the arts through theatrical productions and educational programs that encourage cultural understanding and embrace diversity.

The Saint Sebastian Players is a membership-based theatre company producing dramas, comedies and musicals. We emphasize collaborative theatre development in a supportive environment that fosters learning and growth. We believe theatre helps people more fully understand themselves and each other. Photo credit: (L–R) Daniel Pass as young Alexi, Megan Faye Izzo as Ivana and Evan Voboril as Vladimir in the Saint Sebastian Players' world premiere of Leigh Johnson's Lefties. Photo by John Oster.

Explore Skokie’s heritage by visiting the historic Engine House and the original (1847) Log Cabin. These two cites have much to offer with local and seasonal exhibits, special interest classes, and educational school programs.

The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance at Millennium Park is a state-of-the-art facility bringing together diverseperforming companies in a 1500-seat intimate theater with fine acoustics.

DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - College of DuPage's McAninch Center is home to several resident professional ensembles, student productions and world-class touring attractions plus the Gahlberg Gallery for visual arts.

Visit Chicago’s largest visual arts center. Founded in 1975, Lillstreet Art Center is a large community of artists and students working side-by-side in a friendly environment, which encourages and inspires artistic growth in the individual. Our center on Ravenswood Ave., boasts state-of-art equipment and more than 800 art classes and workshops to choose from each year. We support the arts through educational classes for adults and youth, an artist-in-residency program, a gallery with local and national work, studio space, an outreach program, and an arts-based professional development program. Join us for free events throughout the year such as, open houses, art fairs, and gallery receptions or stop by anytime to browse our unique artisan gift shop and have a bite in the café.

First of its kind in the nation! Includes 60 high-back chairs with cocktail tables in between. While enjoying a first-run movie, dine on appetizers, entrees, or desserts served at your table. Admission includes movie, endless popcorn, and valet parking.

As a production company, Theater Wit’s is the premier smart art theater in Chicago, producing humorous, challenging, and intelligent plays that speak with a vibrant and contemporary theatrical voice. As an institution, Theater Wit seeks to be the hub of the Chicago neighborhood theater scene. In our three spaces, we bring together Chicago’s best storefront theater companies. Here you will find a smorgasbord of excellent productions, see the work of a parade of talented artists, and mingle with audiences from all over Chicago.

The American Toby Jug Museum is home to more than 8,000 Toby and Character jugs, and related derivatives from around the globe. The collection spans the Centuries and features characters representing the times in which they were made, from the oldest dating back to the 1760’s to the most recent ones still in production. It is the largest collection in the world, and is on display and open to the public

Circle Theatre is an artist-based company whose mission is to produce exciting and innovative theatre accessible to our widely diversified suburban and city audience. Through variety-filled seasons including drama, comedy, musicals, and new works, Circle Theatre challenges, entertains, and educates audiences and artists of all ages.

The Artistic Home creates theatre and film that explores and celebrates the truth within us. Through extraordinary acting, we seek to ignite an audience’s imagination, to reach deep into the primal to send tremors through the intellect, to give birth to unforgettable moments by working in an intimate space, to touch audiences who are increasingly distanced from human contact. We readdress the classics and explore new works with passion. We give artists a home where they can shape, develop and strengthen their artistic voice.

The Oak Park Art League believes in the freedom of expression and the importance of the creative voice. Since 1921, they have sustained an environment to develop, nurture, and exhibit the work of local artists, past and present. The league's mission is to provide access to the disciplines and developmental processes so that artists of all ages, from amateur to hobbyist, enthusiast to professional may refine their unique creative voice in local studios and galleries. The Oak Park Art League fulfills this mission through weekly art classes, art exhibitions, studio rentals, lectures, space rentals for private parties, art consultation, and retail sales of artist-made items.

Exhibitions and presentations of contemporary photography are supported by grants from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs/Gallery 37, the Illinois Arts Council and the National Endowment of the Arts. See these works at the museum located at Columbia College.

A vibrant and progressive home for the creative spirit, the Dominican University Performing Arts Center (DUPAC) features two halls with superb acoustics and ideal sightlines. It rolls out the red carpet for a range of events year-round including concerts, plays, lectures, and various artistic performances. Just 20 minutes west of Chicago's loop, it is accessible via CTA trains and offers ample free parking on-site which makes it easy to pack the house. Visit the website for details about upcoming events and tickets.

Located on the Campus of Northwestern University, the Block Museum is dedicated to the study and exhibition of reproducible art forms, including prints, photographs, film, video, and computer-mediated art. It is also noted in metropolitan Chicago for its outdoors Sculpture Garden. The museum also hosts an acclaimed film series which moves outdoors in the summer. Admission to the museum is free.

The goals of the Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology are to collect and preserve literature and equipment pertaining to anesthesiology and to make available to the anesthesiology community, others in the medical profession and the public the most comprehensive educational, scientific and archival resources in anesthesiology.

This Victorian home features rooms furnished with artifacts exemplifying the lifestyle of the emerging middle-class during the 1870s. Group tours welcome seven days a week with reservations, based on availability. Admission free.

This complex, designed by Bertrand Goldberg, includes two corncob-shaped residential towers perched along the Chicago River. Designed to be a “city within a city,” Marina City includes a restaurant, theatre, bowling alley, and a marina for 700 small craft.

The area's rich heritage is celebrated at the Historical Society through exhibits, lectures and special programs regularly taking place on the second floor of Historic Pleasant Home. The society also comprises a museum in a restored Cicero Firehouse, which includes a research center, children's activity room and changing exhibits about regional history. Special events are constantly rotating, and visitors are encouraged to check the website's calendar for specific information about upcoming programs.

Peruse fair trade personal accessories, home decor, gifts, coffees, chocolates, and more for one of Oak Park's most unique shopping experiences. Ten Thousand Villages is dedicated to providing necessary and fair income to artisans in developing countries by publicizing their handicrafts and bringing a personal touch by telling their stories.

The Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) is located on the Magnificent Mile in Lewis Towers, a historic 1926 Gothic Revival building. The museum, with 25,000 square feet contains eight main exhibition galleries, the William G. and Marilyn M. Simpson Lecture Hall, the Solomon Cordwell Buenz Library of Sacred Art and Architecture, the Museum Shop, the Push Pin Gallery, and the Harlan J. Berk Ltd. Works on Paper Gallery.

Designed by world renowned architect Thomas Lamb, the Lake is a prime example of art deco style with sweeping bands of decorative plaster and light bands. Recently redecorated including new comfy faux leather seats. Seven auditoriums with Dolby digital surround sound and now with digital 3-D projection. Matinees daily.

The Music Institute of Chicago Nichols Concert Hall presents a variety of musical series and events, from classical to contemporary, by our distinguished faculty, talented students, and professional groups.

M Lounge is warmly lit with candles, sconces and blue lighting that illuminates the vast selection of spirits. Honey-brown walls, burgundy velvet curtains, comfy sofas and table seating in hues of chocolates and sage make this 1,400 sq. ft. oasis and its 28ft walnut bar cozy and perfect for any occasion.

A one-of-a-kind gallery featuring American artists in a variety of monthly thematic shows. The shows feature Santas, angels, witches, arks, cats, dogs, and more. Also featuring country antiques and vintage jewelry.

Home to the Kalo Foundation of Park Ridge, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the rich artistic legacy of the city through education, advocacy, and preservation, as well as promoting the arts & crafts as an integral part of our modern lives. Based on the ideals of the American Arts and Crafts Movement, the Foundation will sponsor educational seminars, exhibits, tours, publications and special events to increase awareness and appreciation of the arts and crafts. Check the website for special events and hours.

The Garfield Farm Museum is an 1840s living history farm featuring the story of the Garfield family, the Brick Tavern & Inn, restored barns, heirloom gardens, rare farm animals, restored prairie and more.

One of the best Japanese art galleries in the world outside of Japan. Elias Martin's knowledge and passion will educate you and amaze you. A must see in Chicago. Established in 1987, specializes in Japanese fine art with a focus on 20th century woodblock prints by Shin Hanga and Sosaku Hanga artists.

Come and see the exciting Broadway musicals which led the US Conference of Mayors to recognize the Oak Lawn Park District Theatre program with the prestigious National City Livability Award in 2009! For tickets 708.857.2200.

The Newberry Library is an independent library free and open to the public for research and reference in the humanities. The library offers a vast array of lectures, seminars, concerts and exhibits related to its collections.